As the school year begins we all hope for a great year. Parental and family involvement is one way to make that happen. It can have a huge impact on student success. Below are several opportunities for parents and family members to consider as a way to get involved.
Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) Meetings: Every public school and most private schools have some form of a Parent Organization that hosts monthly meetings and other activities. The monthly meetings provide an opportunity for families to stay informed about events and programs at the school. Committees: Parents can join a PTA committee to participate in putting together activities like fundraising, grant writing, carnivals, fairs and other events to support the school community. School Leadership Teams (SLT) Each NYC Public School has an SLT that is comprised of an equal number of Parents and staff. The SLT is a shared decision making entity that develops the Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP) for the school. The SLT meets at least once a month and all school community members are welcome to attend and observe the meetings. Visit http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/FACE/ParentLeader/SchoolLeadership.htm to learn more about PTAs and SLTs Learning Leaders Learning Leaders provides an opportunity for parents to volunteer to help provide individualized instructional and other school based support. The program “Empowers parents to foster their children’s educational development.” Please contact your school’s Parent Coordinator if you are interested in becoming a Learning Leader. Visit http://www.learningleaders.org to learn more. Classroom observation opportunities Throughout the year in many NYC Public Schools there are presentations and activities where families are invited into the classroom to see the students work first hand. Teachers and Parent Coordinators usually send emails or notes back-packed home with dates and times. NYC Public Schools also schedule Open House Weeks. The Open House provides an opportunity for parents and families to see a sample of the learning environment in their child’s classroom. Parent – Teacher conferences Throughout the year there are set dates and times for parents to meet with their child’s teacher. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss your student’s progress and develop strategies to support them. Curriculum workshops and presentations Many public schools host parent workshops about curriculum in an effort to provide support for parents and families to help their students at home. Please contact your school’s Parent Coordinator to see if these events are scheduled at your child’s school. District level involvement Attend Community Education Council 31 meetings to hear updates from our District Superintendent about events and programs in our Staten Island public schools. The meetings are held at the Michael J. Petrides Complex on the first Monday of each month. The meetings are open to the public and there is an opportunity for public comment. Visit www.cec31.org for additional information. City-wide Involvement The NYC DOE Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) is the board that oversees the NYC Public School system. The board is comprised of mayoral and borough president appointees. The PEP votes on contracts, and establishes system-wide policies. The Chancellor is a non-voting member of the PEP and is present at all the meetings. The PEP meetings happen monthly and rotate across the 5 boroughs. The public has an opportunity to comment at PEP meetings. Visit http://schools.nyc.gov/AboutUs/leadership/PEP/default.htm to learn more about the Panel for Educational Policy
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